Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;light mood&#39;

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Light Mood’, characterized by its large quilled decorative-type inflorescences that are about 13.75 cm in diameter; attractive golden yellow-colored inflorescences; response time about 61 days; dark green foliage; strong and thick stems; and excellent postproduction longevity with inflorescences maintaining good substance and color for about three to four weeks in an interior environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Light Mood’.

[0002] The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a mutation inductionbreeding program conducted by the Inventor in Alva, Fla. The objectiveofthe program is to create new Chrysanthemum cultivars havinginflorescences with desirable colors and good form and substance.

[0003] The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occurring whole plantmutation of a proprietary induced mutation that originated by exposingunrooted cuttings ofthe Chrysanthemum cultivarMood, disclosed in U.S.Plant patent application Serial No. 09/757,509, to X-ray radiation at adose of 2,000 rads. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant within a population of plantsofthe irradiated selection in November, 1998 in Alva, Fla. The selectionof this plant was based on its desirable inflorescence color and goodform and substance.

[0004] Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminalcuttings taken in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. since February,1999, has shown that the unique features ofthis new Chrysanthemum arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Plants ofthe cultivar Light Mood have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

[0006] The following traits have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Light Mood’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Light Mood’ as a new anddistinct cultivar:

[0007] 1. Upright cut Chrysanthemum that is typically grown as a disbud.

[0008] 2. Large quilled decorative-type inflorescences that are about13.75 cm in diameter.

[0009] 3. Attractive golden yellow-colored inflorescences.

[0010] 4. Response time about 61 days.

[0011] 5. Dark green foliage.

[0012] 6. Strong and thick stems.

[0013] 7. Excellent postproduction longevity with inflorescencesmaintaining good substance and color for about three to four weeks in aninterior environment.

[0014] Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are most similar to plants of thecultivar Mood. However, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarilyfrom plants ofthe cultivar Mood in ray floret color as ray florets ofthe cultivar Mood are golden bronze in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

[0015] The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overallappearance of the new Chrysanthemum, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Chrysanthemum. The photograph on the first sheetcomprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘LightMood’ grown as a disbud. The photograph on the second sheet comprises aclose-up view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Light Mood’ grown as adisbud.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0016] In the following description, color references are made to theRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotographs and following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown in La Ceja, Antioquia, Colombia, South America, under conditionswhich approximate commercial practice in a single-layerpolyethylene-covered greenhouse. Two-week old rooted cuttings wereplanted on Dec. 26, 2000 and received 14 long day/short nights followedby short day/long nights until flowering. Plants were grown assingle-stem disbud cut Chrysanthemums. During the production time, thefollowing environmental conditions were measured: day temperatures, 20to 27° C.; night temperatures, 8 to 13° C.; and light levels, 4,000 to6,000 footcandles. Measurements and numerical values represent averagesfor six to ten typical flowering stems and were taken about 9 to 10weeks after the start of short days.

[0017] BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION:

[0018]Chrysanthemum×morifolium.—cultivar Light Mood.

[0019] COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION:

[0020]Quilled decorative-type cut Chrysanthemum.

[0021] PARENTAGE:

[0022]Naturally-occurring.—whole plant mutation of a proprietaryChrysanthemum×morifolium induced mutation, not patented.

[0023] PROPAGATION:

[0024]Type.—Terminal tip cuttings.

[0025]Time to rooting.—About 10 to 14 days with soil temperatures of 18to 21° C.

[0026]Root description.—Fine, fibrous and well-branched.

PLANT DESCRIPTION:

[0027]Appearance.—Herbaceous quilled decorative-type cut flower that istypically grown as a disbud.

[0028] Flowering stem description:

[0029]Aspect.—Erect.

[0030]Length.—About 90 cm.

[0031]Diameter (base of stem).—About 6.5 mm.

[0032]Internode length.—About 4.5 cm.

[0033]Texture.—Densely pubescent; longitudinally ridged.

[0034]Color.—Close to 146A.

[0035] Foliage description:

[0036]Arrangement.—Alternate.

[0037]Length.—About 11.2 cm.

[0038]Width.—About 7.5 cm.

[0039]Apex.—Cuspidate.

[0040]Base.—Attenuate.

[0041]Margin.—Palmately lobed; sinuses parallel to convergent.

[0042]Texture.—Upper and lower surfaces pubescent; smooth and leathery;veins prominent on lower surface.

[0043] Color:

[0044]Young foliage upper surface.—Darker than 147A.

[0045]Young foliage lower surface.—Darker than 147B.

[0046]Mature foliage upper surface.—Darker than 147A.

[0047]Mature foliage lower surface.—Close to 147B.

[0048]Venation, upper surface.—147A to 147B.

[0049]Venation, lower surface.—147B.

[0050] Petiole:

[0051]Length.—About 2 cm.

[0052]Diameter.—About 4 mm.

[0053]Color.—Upper surface: 147A to 147B. Lower surface: 146B.

FLOWERING DESCRIPTION:

[0054] Appearance: Decorative-type inflorescence form with elongatedquilled-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals, arisingfrom leafaxils. Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on acapitulum.

[0055] Flowering response: Under natural conditions, plant flower in theautumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other times of the year,inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under shortday/long night conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness). Plantsexposed to two weeks of long day/short night conditions after plantingfollowed by photoinductive short day/long night conditions flower about61 days later when grown as a disbud.

[0056] Postproduction longevity: In an interior environment, floweringstems will maintain good color and substance for about three to fourweeks in an interior environment after one week of cool storage.

[0057] Quantity of Inflorescences: When grown as a disbud, one perflowering stem, as the terminal inflorescence bud is the only one thatis not removed.

[0058] Inflorescence size:

[0059]Diameter.—About 13.75 cm.

[0060]Depth (height).—About 3.8 cm.

[0061]Diameter of disc.—About 3 mm, inconspicuous.

[0062]Diameter of receptacle.—About 1.4 cm.

[0063] Ray florets:

[0064]Shape.—Elongated, quilled.

[0065]Length.—About 7.1 cm.

[0066]Width.—About 5 mm.

[0067]Corolla tube length.—About 5.9 cm.

[0068]Apex.—Emarginate.

[0069]Base.—Fused.

[0070]Texture.—Satiny, smooth, glabrous; slightly longitudinally ridged.

[0071]Aspect.—Initially incurved; when mature, perpendicular topeduncle; mostly straight, curved upward at apex.

[0072]Number of ray florets per inflorescence.—About 335 arranged innumerous rows.

[0073]Color.—When opening: Initially green, 144B to 144C, then 13A to12A with faint 163A overtones.

[0074]Mature, throat.—12A to 15A.

[0075]Mature, tube.—13A to 12A with faint 163A overtones.

[0076] Disc florets:

[0077]Shape.—Tubular, elongated.

[0078]Length.—About 6 mm.

[0079]Width.—Apex: About 1.5 mm. Base: About 1 mm.

[0080]Number of disc florets per inflorescence.—Few, massed at center ofreceptacle, usually fewer than 10.

[0081]Color.—Immature: 144A to 144B. Mature: Apex and mid-section: 9A.Base: 155D.

[0082] Reproductive organs:

[0083]Androecium.—Present on disc florets only. Anther color: Close to12A. Amount of pollen: None observed. Gynoecium: Present on both ray anddisc florets.

[0084]Seed.—Seed production has not been observed.

DISEASE/PEST RESISTANCE:

[0085] Resistance to pathogens and pests common to Chrysanthemums hasnot been observed on plants grown under commercial conditions.

[0086] TEMPERATURE TOLERANCE:

[0087] Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have demonstrated good toleranceto low temperatures of 5° C. Plants of the new

[0088] Chrysanthemum do not tolerate high temperatures greater than 40°C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plantnamed ‘Light Mood’, as illustrated and described.